Insect-catcher.



Ptented Sept. 13, 1910.

wit one:

FRANK M. CARTER, OF STONINGTON, MAINE.

INSECT- CATCHER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented'Sept. 13, 1910.

Application filed June 5, 1909. Serial No. 500,286.

draft at the inlet end of the apparatus so that when the insects are within a certain radius of-the inlet end they will be drawn by suction into the apparatus anddeposited into a receptacle.

A still further object of my invention is to provide a receptacle of such construction that will be disposed immediately in line. of travel of the insects and which will be thus .arranged to act as an abutment or obstruction against. which the insects may be thrown and instantly killed.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent'as the nature of the invention is better set forth, and it will be understood that changes within the scope of the claims may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the drawing, forminga portion of this specification and in which like numerals of reference indicate similar parts in the several views :Figure 1 isa detail longitudinal section through the insect catcher, the handle being shown in'elevation. Fig. 2 is a detail section taken on the line '2-2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a detail elevation of the receptacle. Fig. 4 is a detail vertical section through a slightly modified form of my invention.

Referrin now more particularly to the drawing, t ere is shown an insect catcher consisting broadly of a horizontally disposedsleeve 1 adapted to form what will be .hereinafter termed a chamber, and as shown the sleeve is provided therewithin with a spider 2 which carries a horizontally disposed stub shaft 3 upon which is mounted the hub 4 of a fan 5 provided with an annular series'of gear teeth l'and with a series of radialwings 7 which are suitably spaced from each other as clearly shown in Fig. 2 of the. drawin The construction of the fan 5 is such t at it broadly consists of a gear in which the spokes are constructed in meshes with the annular series of teeth 6 upon the fan 5. The shaft 10 is provided with a squared outer end 12 with which may be engaged any desired form of winding key. A spring 13 has, one end fixed to the shaft 10 and the other end of the said spring is fixed in any suitable manner to the easing 8.

It will of course be understood that any suitable well known motor can be provided for. revolving the fan and I do not desire to limit myself to the one herein shown.

An element or hell shaped member 15 is carried b the apparatus andhas at its reduced en an annular collar-16 frictionally engaged with the walls of the sleeve 1. At the opposite end the sleeve 1 has remov ably engaged therewith a collar 17 to which is connected in any suitable manner a receptacle 18 which is preferably formed from suitable wire gauze or any other foraminous material. The bell shaped member 15 is of such form that its intake end is located immediately in line with the chamber formed by the sleeve 1 and also in line with the receptacle 18.

In 0 eration, the shaft 10 is actuated so as to win the spring 13 and in this way drives the gear 11, which in viewof the fact that itmeshes with the teeth 6 ofthe fan will revolve the latter so that the wings 7 will operate to create a draft or suction within the bell shaped .member 15. The handle 9 may be held in the hand of the operator of the device or it ma y be stationed or fixed at any desired point. It'will be seen that when insects are traveling at pointsadjacent to the inlet end of the member 15 the suction created by the fan' will be sufficient to draw the insects inwardly and to finally de )osit them into the receptacle 18. The air raft. will of course be of such force that even if the insects are not killed incident totheir contacting with the fan blades they will be thrown with such force against the walls of the receptacle 18 that they will be instantly killed. The receptacle 18 as hereinbefore stated is removable so thatithe insects therein after an operation of the device may be conveniently removed and if necessary the receptacle can be sterilized or otherwise cleaned.

In the form of my invention shown in' Fig. 4 a casing l5 is provided and hassecured thereto at itsupper end a sleeve 16 in which is mounted a Wing carried shaft 17.

A'bevel gear 18 is mounted upon the shaft 17 and meshes with a similar gear 19 upon one end of a shaft 20. The other end of the shaft 20 carries a bevel gear 21- which meshes with a similar gear 22 carried by a drive shaft 23. A retractile' spring 24 is mounted in the-casing 15. and ha's'one end secured thereto as shown at 25. The other end of the spring is secured to one end-of a flexible connection 26 and is wound about a drum'or spool 27 upon the drive shaft 23.'

nickel plated or silvered upon its inner face so as to eil ect-ively serve the as a reflector and to attract insects intothe sleeve 1 as is obvious.v 7

If desired any Well known form of illuminating means may be attached to the bell 15 to serve as a bait.

I claim 1.. A device of the class described compris ing a sleeve, a revolving fan located in the sleeve, a bell-shaped member at one end of the sleeve, a removable receptacle of foraminous material engaged with the other. end of the sleeve and disposed directly in line with the said vbell-shaped member, said ,fan having a toothed peripheral rim, and a motor geared tothe toothed peripheral rim for driving the fan.

2. A-device of the class described comprising a sleeve, a-fan'located in the sleeve, a

casing connected withthe sleeve and opening thereinto, a bell-shaped member at one end of the sleeve, a receptacle 'of foraminous :material at the other end of the sleeve, a

handlesecured to the casing, and a driving.

m'otor located in the casing and geared to the fan for driving the same.

In testimony whereof I' afiix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

FRANKMQGARTER. Witnesses:

ERASTUS J. CARTER, E; S. CARTER. 

